Oxidative stress is one of the key factors in the pathophysiology of liver disease. The present study aimed to evaluate the potential impact of two antioxidants, namely coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) and silymarin, on carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced oxidative stress and hepatic damage in ovariectomized rats. Female Long Evans rats were divided into six groups (n = 6): control, CCl4, CCl4 + CoQ10 (200 mg/kg), CCl4 + silymarin (140 mg/kg), Control + CoQ10, and Control + silymarin. Plasma and tissues from liver and kidney were analyzed for oxidative stress parameters and antioxidant enzyme activities using biochemical assays. Infiltration of inflammatory cells and fibrosis were assessed by histological staining of tissue sections. Both CoQ10 and silymarin significantly lowered serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) levels that were detected to be higher in CCl4 rats compared to controls. Significant reduction in CCl4-induced elevated levels of oxidative stress markers malondialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide (NO), and advanced protein oxidation product (APOP) was observed with both antioxidants. However, in control rats, CoQ10 and silymarin did not produce a significant effect. Histological analysis revealed that CCl4 markedly increased the level of inflammatory cells infiltration and fibrosis in liver and kidney tissues, but this was significantly reduced in CCl4 + CoQ10 and CCl4 + silymarin groups. Taken together, our results suggest that CoQ10 and silymarin can protect the liver against oxidative damage through improved antioxidant enzyme activities and reduced lipid peroxidation. Thus, supplementation of the aforementioned antioxidants may be useful as a therapeutic intervention to protect liver health in chronic liver diseases.

Background: Panch phoron is a mixture of five spices containing an equal proportion of Foeniculum vulgare (fennel), Trigonella foenum-graecum Linn (fenugreek), Nigella sativa (black cumin), Cuminum cyminum (cumin) and Brassica nigra (black mustard). The mixture is commonly used in Bangladeshi cuisine and possesses many pharmacological effects. In this study, we evaluated the antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities of aqueous panch phoron extract (PPE) in vivo, its possible mechanism of action and phytochemical analysis by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). We also investigated the effect of PPE on postoperative pain in mice. Methods: HPLC was carried out using LC-20A Modular HPLC system to identify the bioactive compounds present in PPE. Five groups of Swiss albino male mice (n = 6 per group) were orally treated with 10 ml/kg of distilled water or 10 mg/kg of sodium diclofenac or three doses of PPE (100 mg/kg, 300 mg/kg, 500 mg/kg). In vivo assessment was carried out by the writhing test, tail-flick test, formalin test, and carrageenan induced paw edema test. The opioid antagonist, naloxone was used in the acetic acid test to evaluate the involvement of opioid receptors. To assess the effect of PPE in postoperative pain, mice that underwent sciatic nerve surgery were measured for the paw withdrawal latency in a hot water bath. Results: In HPLC analysis, different types of phenolic compounds and flavonoids, including catechin hydrate, paracoumaric acid, vanillic acid, and syringic acid were detected. Treatment with PPE exhibited dose-dependent antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities in pain models (p < 0.05). Furthermore, naloxone did not reverse the effect of PPE in the writhing test. Mice that underwent sciatic nerve surgery showed that the paw withdrawal latency increased gradually over 7 days. Conclusions: Our results demonstrate that PPE has significant antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities and can provide significant postoperative analgesia.

The present study evaluated the phytochemical constituents, in vivo antioxidant and renoprotective activities of guava leaf powder in the fludrocortisone acetate (FCA)‐ and salt‐induced experimental animal model. High‐performance liquid chromatography‐diode array detection analysis of guava leaf extract showed the presence of antioxidants such as gallic acid, (+)‐catechin, (–)‐epicatechin, and ellagic acid. FCA administration in rats increased oxidative stress parameters such as malondialdehyde, nitric oxide, and advanced protein oxidation product in plasma, heart, and kidney tissues compared to the control rats. These oxidative stress markers were significantly reduced by guava leaf powder supplementation. Guava leaf powder supplementation also ameliorated increased creatinine and uric acid concentrations in plasma of FCA‐administered rats. Antioxidant enzyme levels were also significantly improved by guava leaf powder supplementation. Our investigation suggests that the presence of phenolic compounds in the Psidium guajava leaves is responsible for the antioxidant and renoprotective activities. Practical applications Guava leaves possess high amount of phenolic compounds and antioxidants, like guava fruits. In some society, guava leaves are used as alternative to tea drinks and as folkloric medicine. Our investigation showed potential evidences about the renoprotective activity of guava leaves powder supplementation. This result will allow the farmers and food technologists to develop new value‐added product based on guava leaves.

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Food fibers are recently gaining interest in the scientific community for their beneficial role in various diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, cancer and neurodegenerative diseases. Rice bran is an important source of food fibers. The objective of this study was to determine the presence of polyphenolic compounds in rice bran of Aush Dhan and determine the in vitro antioxidant activities in different extracts such as ethanol, ethylacetate and toluene extracts. Various antioxidant assays, including DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) free radical scavenging, nitric oxide scavenging, hydrogen peroxide, reducing power, total phenolic content and total flavonoid content, were studied. Moreover, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used to identify and quantify the phenolic compounds. The extracts showed effective DPPH free radical, hydrogen peroxide radical and nitric oxide scavenging activities. However, reducing power was not significant compared with the standard antioxidant ascorbic acid. Phytochemical analysis shows that rice bran contains reducing sugar, flavonoids and tannins. Furthermore, high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with photodiode array detector (HPLC-DAD) analysis showed that rice bran contains high amount of rutin hydrate along with epicatechin, which are strong natural antioxidants. These results suggest that rice bran contains high amount of antioxidants, which may be used as a source of polyphenolic compounds and can be used to treat chronic disease.